Father and friend

Think a minute…Recently on TV I watched an interview of a man named Kuklinski who is in prison for murder. This man has tortured and killed more than 100 people. 

He was interviewed by a professional counselor who explained that Kuklinski became a murderer mainly because of the kind of parents who raised him. Kuklinski’s father often beat him terribly for simply no reason, and Kuklinski’s mother never showed him any love at all. 

After years of painful torture and abuse, Kuklinski eventually had no conscience. He says that is why he did not feel anything or care at all about the 100 people he tortured and killed. Since he has never been loved or had even one friend, he says the only thing that keeps him going in life is his hate for other people.

Another man, Henry Luce, had a very different father than Kuklinski’s. Henry Luce is the man who started the very successful Time-Life company which published both Time and Life magazines.

In fact, many people think that Henry Luce has probably influenced world opinion more than any other publisher in history. Luce often talked about his years as a missionary’s son growing up in China. When he was a young boy, he and his father went for a long walk and talked almost every evening. 

He said:  “My father treated me as if I was an adult.” Henry said that his close relationship with his Dad was more than just between a father and son; they were close friends.

You know, our children will become like the people who spend the most time with them being their friend. This is often why a teenager makes bad choices. He follows the example of other teenagers because they spend more time being his friend than his parents do. Jesus Christ shocked everybody when he said that God created us to be not only his children, but also His close friends. 

Jesus said God loves us so much that He wants us to spend time with Him every day and feel so close to Him that we call Him “Dad.” And today, if you will ask Jesus to forgive you for living your own way, He will make you God’s child and friend. 

Then, as we learn to live Jesus’ way, we who are fathers can learn to become the loving dad and friend our children need. Just Think a Minute…

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